I’ve been flying the Husky for 10 years now. Before that, C-180/185, C-120, PA-18...a few different types.
When I started flying the Husky I gravitated towards the “tail low wheel landing” technique and really liked it. I’d say 98% of my landings are such with an occasional true wheel landing. Every now and then for proficiency I get a wild hair and try a three point landing...and it sucks.
Two things; I can’t get the tail wheel to touch first. Elevator trim is full nose up. One of two things seems to happen...I either plop it on from too high or I touch down on the mains with the tail still a foot or so in the air. This with the stick full back in my nuts, full trim and what I believe to be good speed control.
Any ideas?
I have an idea. And a few comments.
The comments are first.
Landing three point is simply about attitude at touchdown. And the tires that you have can significantly impact the three point attitude. 600-6 tires versus 35" bush wheels are totally different situations. If you have the trim rolled all the way aft and the stick is in your belly, why are you not able to achieve the three point attitude? Your elevator effectiveness has been limited. Let's get some elevator effectiveness back. Balance of the aircraft is important. Energizing the elevator with the engine by carrying power is also useful. And in the absence of power (engine out for instance), then you must arrive into the landing zone with enough airspeed to keep the elevator energized until touchdown. If in the power off situation it is impossible to keep the plane flying before you get to the three point, then your tires have set an unachievable outcome.
To further explore this idea of arriving with enough airspeed when attempting to land at idle power, imagine an extreme situation if you were to set up for a final approach with the power reduced at idle with the trim rolled aft and the plane leaf falling toward the landing zone. As you attempted your roundout, you will quickly realize that the stick is already fully aft and there is not enough energy to get the plane to the three point attitude or any increase in attitude for that matter.
However, as you incrementally add airspeed to this example, you now have reserve energy for the elevator to provide an increase in attitude prior to touchdown. When I first was checked out in my Husky, my instructor had me do power off three point landings. I had a very hard time with these at first because I was simply not caring enough speed to make the transition to the three point attitude before running out of elevator.
The difficulty with with low power or idle power three point landings is the timing that is required to get the attitude right just at touchdown. As airspeed bleeds off and the nose is rising, all the stars have to align properly for the attitude to match as elevator is running out. Some pilots can do this more easily than others. The game changer is when you allow power to help you buy back more time and margin for error. Power simply helps to energize your elevator and reduce the importance for perfect timing.
Now for the idea.
Sit in your plane on the ground and memorize your sight picture in the three point attitude. Take off and fly up at altitude in the landing configuration with enough power to fly in that three point attitude while maintaining your altitude. Now, practice on a long runway flying down the runway a foot off the ground in the three point attitude with enough power to fly the length. Since you could land at any time down the runway in the three point attitude, this is the evidence that power has bought you the time and elevator effectiveness to make sure you achieve the three point attitude without the pressure of having to time it. Then experiment with a combination of approach speeds and power to be able to achieve the three point attitude at your touchdown spot more quickly.
Oh, one more comment. It is because of the factors involved to make that perfect three point landing that I forsook the desire altogether and just pick my landing spot, fly it to that spot at the desired speed, and then plant the mains to land. But when I must three point (someone (CFI, FAA) asks me to), I simply add enough power to achieve my three point attitude by energizing my elevator or I keep my speed up prior to the flare so that my elevators are effective enough at idle to get enough attitude.
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